Kale Farro Sweet Potato and Blue Cheese Salad

    A nice balanced salad with lots of kale and farro that is accentuated with browned sweet potato, funky blue cheese, and a little truffle oil.

    Ingredients

    • 1 Bunch Kale
    • 6 Ounces Blue Cheese cut into chunks
    • 1 Cup Farro
    • 2 Large Sweet Potatoes
    • 2 Tablespoons Truffle Oil
    • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 3 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
    • 2 Teaspoons Paprika
    • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
    • Salt and Pepper

    Instructions

    1. Peel the potatoes and chop into 3/4 inch chunks. Toss with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast at 450 for about 20 minutes stirring once or twice until browned and tender.
    2. Boil the farro in salted water like you would pasta until it is tender, about 10 or 15 minutes. Strain.
    3. Wash the kale and remove the leafy part from the stalk. Chop into small pieces.
    4. Massage the kale with your hands to tenderize it. Basically just squeeze it in your fists over and over for about 2 minutes.
    5. Add the farro and squash to the kale. Add in the blue cheese in portions mixing with each addition so it doesn't clump together.
    6. Dress the salad with the truffle oil, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, salt, and pepper and toss. Taste for seasoning and add more as needed. Serve.

    Notes

    If you need a detox from your upcoming friendsgiving, or want to bring a slightly healthier side dish to the party, I have a great recipe for you. As a food blogger, I am obliged to like kale, and when you mix it with sweet potato and blue cheese I really can’t resist. This kale salad is funky from the blue cheese, sweet from the sweet potato, and hearty from the farro. Make it for your friends this weekend and they will be thankful to have a respite from the overly indulgent dishes on the friendsgiving table.

    Before you can mix anything into the kale, you first need to rub it a little. Just get your clean hands into the chopped greens and squeeze over and over for about 2 minutes. Then add your farro, cooked squash, and blue cheese.

    I added a little truffle oil because nothing goes better with potatoes than truffle. Some cider vinegar, cinnamon, and paprika finish it off.
    This salad is hearty and filling but is a great foil for all the super fatty dishes that will be at your friendsgiving party. The blue cheese and truffle oil give a nice unctuous flavor to the veggies and grains.